A Finish and more

I know it has only been a week since I posted this as a WIP but I have him finished. Of course there is more to add to the vest but this 1st part is done. I decided to use some Krenick 032 to back stitch the smoke to make it stand out more and give it a little sparkle. It doesn't show that well here but it does in real life.

I am so excited because earlier this week I found some long lost patterns that I have been looking for in my stash for over a year! Now I can start yet another project for Christmas. It is a pattern from Stoney Creek, a stocking showing the Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker dancing in the dreams of a little girl. My mom has asked me to make this for the baby daughter of our masseuse. She is turning 1 in just a few weeks and this will be something fun to work on for her.

Well school starts around here tomorrow so there is some hope that I will be able to get some work soon. My son starts his senior year of high school and just as I am getting used to that I also have to through in his starting to drive as well. Where has the time gone. I know this year will go by faster than any other and he will be graduating and turning 18 before I know it. I am very excited for him and feel confident that he will succeed in everything he sets out to do.

I think I will take advantage of the husband being off at work today and spend my afternoon stitching and watching classic movies that drive him crazy. And tomorrow I will put all my 4-H projects in order for the year. One less thing to worry about each month.

Maria

Stitching in the Park

Today was a wonderful change of pace. Our local chapter of the EGA held our monthly meeting stitching in the park today in San Luis Obispo, CA. There were only a few of us but it was a beautiful morning to sit and enjoy the outside while enjoying our favorite past time. I was able to finsh the smoke sections of the "Tempest" design I am working on and was inspireed to add some Kreniek threads to that area to bring it out a little more.
Several members of our chapter have asked me to teach a class on beading stitches so now I need to design something fun and simple for the girls. Hopefully I will be able to do that by the end of the year so we can put it on next year's class schedule.
Well it is back to the stitching world, I can't wait to get "Tempest" finished.
Maria

A completed project and a WIP

Ok it may not seem like much but since I was still recovering from the long week at our county fair, I needed something simple to get me back into stitching mode. I love the patterns done with Kats by Kelly, in fact I think there may only be about 5 left that I have not done. Here is my latest finish, "Faxcination".

I'm not sure how I will finish this one off but they are fun to do over a weekend when I don't want to think too much about what I am stitching. Unlike my major WIP, "Crystal Symphany" from Mirabella. I have been working on this piece since January, taking it with me to EGA free stitch functions and working on it during my prep periods while substitute teaching. The stitching is almost finished.

Once the stitching is finished, I will wash the piece before adding all the different beads. With any luck I will have her completly finished by December. But then again there are those pesky Christmas presents to work on and the pieces from the classes Iwill take at Jubilee. But if we don't have goals, how do we get the feeling of accomplishments

Maria

Big Disappontment

Well, I was supposed to be teaching a needlework bookmark class today to a youth art camp but it was cancelled due to lack of participants. They are going to try to hold the camp later in the spring so hopefully I will get the chance to teach and share. In the mean time I have started on a couple of projects for myself. The first is a luggage tag for my trip to the Stitching Jubilee in October. I'm using a quilt pattern since we will be in Amish country - Lancaster, PA. I am working on 18 ct. vinyel weave.

I am also working on a vest on 32 ct. linen. I am using a varity of different patterns that I feel represent me as a person and a stitcher. The 1st piece is Teresea Wentzler's "Tempest", a little dragon in a tea cup. Sorry the picture is a little fuzzy.

Of course as the work progresses, I will post new pictures.

Maria

Starting off

Well here goes my 1st foray into the world of blogging. My goal is to post at least once a week with the adventures I have in substitute teaching, being a 4-H leader and an avid stitcher. I have just spent the last week recovering from an exhausting experience of working with my 4-H club's swine group at our county fair. Thankfully everyone did well but what a week! This week I am assembling kits to teach a cross stitch bookmark to the local arts association's summer camp for kids. I am really looking forward to meeting the kids and hopefully inspiring them to get involved with this fading art form. I will post my current stitching WIPs later today.